Shoe-toe-softening machine



R. A. KOEPKE.

SHOE TOE SOETENING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCTA l2, 1921.

l ,425,98 1 Patented Aug. l5, 1922.

. y,My-invention refers to softening RICHARD AUGUST Konrnn, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

snon-'roE-sorrnurive MACHINE.

`To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD AUoUs'r Konrirn, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of 'Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Toe-Soften-ing Machines; and I do-hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ytheredevices for shoe tips or the like. g

The primary object of my invention is to provide a simple, economical and effective softening device for shoe tips wherein a controlled constant volume of lsteam from a source of supply is delivered to a dome,

and prior to such delivery the steam is` first indirectly superheated and thereafter mixed with a predetermined volume of hot air, to thus elfectually soften shoer tips and avoid discoloration. The construction and arrangement of the device is such that the temperature of the hot air is controlled and theproportions of hot air and steam are controlled independently; it being within the scope of my invention to employ dry steam only or hot vair only under certain conditions.

I am aware vices have been developed for thepurpose of lsoftening shoe tips. In some instances van open pot for developing steam vapor has been utilized in connect-ion with some means for' indirectly drying the vapor. In this type'vof structure, however, the rising vapor, owing to the open pot, is limited both as to .volume and temperature and the indirect heat to which the vapor is subjected will only serve to dry the vapor without adding volume thereto. Hence `vin' open pot structures of this general type, ythe moist fluid, as a whole, is developed slowly, whereby, in many cases, unsuflicient volume is obtained.

Another disadvantage of this device is, that under certain conditions, the shoe tips will be stained, for the reason that the indirect method of drying the steam is not sufficient, in all cases, bearing in mind that said steam so developed is caused to travel in a lazy Zig zag yiiow more or less.

A further objectionable feature in the type which I have mentioned is, that, when it is desired to use hot air solely, thesupply of'hot air would be insufficient, due to the of the fact that various de' Speccation of Letters Patent. Patented Angl. 19212.y Application filed October 12, 1921. Serial No. 507,327. y i v v E y .fact thatthe only source of ysupply air 1s from the steam generating pot.

Specific objects of my invention are tok provide a dome having a column for its sup,- port, 1n which column vthere is located a steam pipe, means for. taking vcare :of c'ondensation, means fork introducing hot vair of fresh" to the steam pipe, whereby the temperature of the steam is raised, and means for therel' after introducing hotl air in the desired l' quantity directly to the steam jet prior to its 'delivery to the dome.

, Another object of my invention is to provide an arrangement and construction whereinthe steamv jet serves as an injector in connection with an air chamber, whereby a predetermined yquantity of air isifolrc'i'- bly drawnminto said chamber.

Another object of ymy invention .is to provide a housing in connection with the v air chamber, and surrounding the ste/am pipe, whereby condensation from the-'dome and other parts at a higher `elevation is trapped., v, l

lWith the. above and otherfobjects in view, the invention consistsin *certain peci'iliari-A ties of construction and combination Lof parts as are hereinafter set forth with reference to the, accompanying ,drawings `and subsequently` claimed. f

. In the drawings,

Figurel representsa front lelevation vof,v

shoe tip softening device embodying the features of myl invention, with :parts broken vaway and parts in vsection to more clearly illustrate `the details of construction,

and f .v i Figure 2, a detailed cross section through the `dome portion of the. device, showing means for introducing 'and supporting a v shoe in connection with the dome, whereby the tip4 is subjected to thedesire'd flow of fluid. w

Referring by characters tothe drawings, l represents a hollow base column constitut-` ingk a steam dome, having fitted therein a valve controlled live steam pipe 2 which leads to any suitable source of constant supply. The column is also fitted with a valve portion for the purpose of drainingoff water of condensation. A transverse web l formed in the columnv has secured thereto, a steam discharge :pipe ornozzleQ. Secured to' the upper lend-of the vbase column is a housing 4, which housing con-.

controlled drain pipe 3 at orv nearits bottom Q3 ifi-sassi stitutes a super-heating chamber. The housing has tted therein, any suitable type of heating unit 5, that illustrated being in the forni of a standard gas burner head, which head is provided with the usual fuel gas supply pipe 5. The superheating chain-` ber of the housing' is also formed with av plurality of air intake ports Ll, which ports are located above the burner head 5.

@bviously I may, in some instances, utilize a damper mechanism for varying the capacity of air intake ports, if desired, whereby the volume of fresh air introduced above the heating unit may be controlled. The steam discharge nozzle 2 within the housing 4 is surrounded by a tubular shell 6, which shell terminates with a bell shaped mouth near the upper portion of the housi ing, it being understood that said upper y portion is preferably contracted about the mouth of the shell.

rllhe housing terminates with a coupling nipplet for the reception of a mixing pip e 7,- the lower end of which mixing pipe is slightly contracted, as shown, and spaced a predetermined distance above the cupped mouth ofthe tubular shell, it being understood, as shown, that the'discliarge nozzle 2 terminates at a point above the contracted lower end of said mixing pipe. llhe mixing pipe is branched at its upper end to form a pair of delivery channels 7', which channels communicate with the bottom of an enlarged dome 8. The dome is provided with shoe tip lreceiving apertures 9 in one wall thereof and suitable means for supporting the shoe, as best illustrated in Figure 2.

lt is understood that the dome may be provi'dedvwith a suitable thermometer, whereby the temperature of the vapor or hot airis determined.

l/Vhen' it is desired to soften the tips of boots and shoes, in this exempliflcation of my invention, a` pair of them may be adjusted to the apertures 9, whereby the tips will extend into the dome.v Live steam is then introduced into the discharge nozzle. The heating unit 5, being in operation, will develop the desired temperature within the housing il, and the steam' jet which is discharged from the nozzle will thus create a suction, whereby fresh air will be drawn through the port of the housing to thus develop'a volume of hot air that will surround the tubular shell and come in contact with the surface of nozzle 2 as it rises, whereby the steainis superheated before it is discharged from the nozzle.

This superheating effect upon the steam is also developed within the tubular shell 6. Hence the heated air will. be drawn into the mixing pipe 7 and co-mingle with the live steam discharged from the mouth of the nozzle, whereby said steam can be predeterminately regulated as to moisture and volume and, at the same time, it is mixed with pure hot air. The vapor is then discharged through the branch pipe 7 into the dome, whereby the proper softening effect upon the tips of the shoes will result.

.A machine of this type kis in practical operation and after many tests, the result of the mixed vapor has shown, conclusively that the leatherl subjected thereto is not discolored but softened to the desired degree, it being understood that the vapor mixture is varied indefinitely under the control mentioned for different varieties of leather.

lt has also been found, in some instances, that the desired result can be obtained by utilizing the hot air only or the steam only, but under ordinary conditions a mixture, or combination of both, has proven satisfactory.

is shown, the branch pipes 7 are formed with a depending deflector 7, which is in axial line with the pipe 7, whereby the vapor is divided uniformly and discharged into said branch pipe as it rises from the nozzle.

While l have shown and described a machine for carrying out my invention minutely as to detail, it is understood that I may vary the structural features indefinitely within the scope of the claims as they will be hereafter understood by those skilled in the art of building such softening machines or devices. y

l claim:

l. A shoe tip softening device comprising a dome having apertures therein for the reception of shoes, a mixing pipe in communi- 100 cation with the dome, a live steam pipe extending into the mixing pipe, a superheating chamber in communication with the mixing pipe and encasing the steam pipe, the super-heating chamber being provided with 105 air intake ports, and means for heating the chamber, whereby a volume of hot air is caused to travel upwardly about the steam pipe and mingle with the live steam discharged therefrom. 110

2. A slice tip softening device comprising a dome having apertures therein for the reception of' shoes to be operated upon, a mixing pipe in communication with the dome, a live steam pipe in communication with the 115 mixing pipe, a superheating chamber surrounding the live steam pipe and in communication with the mixing pipe, the superheating chamber being provided with air intake ports, a heating` unit associated with the 120 aforesaid heating chamber, and meansextending into the superheating chamber and surrounding the steam pipe nozzle for trapping condensed steam froin the dome and associated parts thereabove.

3, A. shoe tip softening device comprising a dome having` apertures therein for `the reception of shoes, a mixing pipe in communication with the dome, a live steam pipe extending into the mixing pipe, a heating 130 air is eaused to travel upwardly above thel steam pipe and mingle With the live steam discharged therefrom, and means for controlling the constant supply of steam and for regulating the heating unit associatedlovv with the superheating chamber, whereby hot air may be used or live steam independently.

In testimony that l claim the foregoingl have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee, in

.the county of Milwaukee and State" ofVVs- 15 consin. z

RICHARD lAUGfUsT KOEPKE. i 

